Teaching has always been a passion of mine from a early age, going to college, looking up to my professors I still remember. Thinking how do you get that job, I must do that, but I knew in most cases I needed a higher degree like a Masters or Ph.D but went as far as my Master’s in Business Admin. Sadly this week I was notified that my Teaching Career will come to a halt, that’s if I choose not to apply at other schools.
Mt. Sierra College is where I have been at for the past nine years, teaching everything from Business to Finance to Economics and general ed. I loved every moment of it, from my first day, when I had no idea how to create a course and teach a class to know, where I hope to have perfected a teaching style that allow my students to learn and use that know they gain in a positive way.
I have seen many graduates come and go in my years, many I see are successful and like anything else someone who are getting there. There is a lot of blame for our school closely, primarily it was that those in charge were not fiscally responsible with the school. I am not saying we blew it on usefulness things, I believe it all went to the students. Until a few years ago, we were at another location down the street which I loved, but then we went to bigger and better things which is nice, change owners a few times and those who originally started the school are long gone, getting their investment while the students, faculty and staff are the ones who lost in the end.
There are many opinions out there like we ripped students off, our prices were too high, just go to Junior College its cheaper. The reality is that many who makes those comments have no clue. Junior colleges although cheaper take longer to graduate and finish due to the large amounts of students who go to those colleges. We are a small private college which allows us to have smaller class sizes and in effect and get students to graduate sooner. Are we exorbitant in our prices? absolutely NOT we are in line with what the Market is offering. Other colleges are worst offenders such as UEI and Corinthian colleges , which I worked for at one point.
We offered students a bachelors degrees which many want, Like any business or organization there is a market for us, unfortunately a few years ago things really started to change when ownership changed hands and employees used Mt.Sierra as a place to wait for their next opportunity. We lost many over the years and before you know only a few including myself remained loyal to the school.
These years at Mt. Sierra were the best and the Worst, because this was a time when I was starting my family and it was Great experience and having two incomes to help out, but the days were long, working from 6pm to 10pm sometimes working Monday to Thursday and some Saturdays away from family, but supporting them.
The people I came across are incredible professionals who were devoted to education and who I can truly say taught me so many skills I probably would not have learn else where. It’s heart breaking when you see people who comment on the state of the school and know knowing. Of course they are entitled to their opinion doesn’t make it right.
Even in the last few days I have seen commentators say how we took advantage of students, stole from them, charge them too much and why didn’t they just go to a Junior College or State college. Yet those who make those are comments are ignorant to the fact that not everyone has the time to go to a Junior College that may not be very flexible sharing a classroom with 40-100 students and the professor who care less about your achievement. Our classroom sizes were small many times 10 students or less and max 20 students. Those students made a choice to go there and continued to go there, because they knew we cared about them.
The other factor is Junior colleges tend to take more than time because of class room overcrowding with the influx of foreign students taking spots, spots personally I feel should go to residents firsts. I have been a student a student and continue to learn on my own til this day, that will never stop me, and I only tried to be an example for my students.
I think ultimately we have to remember a college especially a private one is a business and is susceptible to failure in many different ways, this was just a prime example of what can happen.
I hope in time I can teach again, it will never be Mt. Sierra but maybe something close or better.
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Mt-Sierra-College-Closes-Before-Graduation-511940572.html
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